Event Recap: #NoCommission-Art Performs @THEREALSWIZZZ @BACARDI @PUSHA_T @aliciakeys @asvpxrocky @QtipTheAbstract @DMX @myFabolousLife @djmoma

From August 11-14, 2016,  BACARDÍ and Swizz Beatz’ The Dean Collection celebrated  No Commission: Art Performs, a multi-day immersive event where art and music collide for showcases by day and night.

Featuring musical performances, visual art galleries and immersive installations in the Bronx, No Commission: Art Performs celebrates the artist hustle, where it all began. Held at a waterfront warehouse in the South Bronx, the significance of the location of No Commission is two-fold, as both the birthplace of Swizz Beatz and the genesis of global contemporary art forms, Hip Hop and Graffiti.  

BACARDÍ and The Dean Collection are investing in, celebrating and giving back to this community that remains integral to New York’s cultural heritage.  No Commission is a platform that is designed specifically to support artists, and forges a direct link between artists’ practices and art patronage.

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All artists are given their exhibition space for free and 100% of the sale of each artwork goes directly back to them.

With the temperature outside reaching triple digits, most guests spent the first hour of the event inside the gallery, enjoying the featured artists’ works and signature BACARDI cocktails, including the BACARDÍ Old Fashioned,BACARDÍ Reserva Punch, BACARDÍ Maestro Collins, Cuba Libre, the Night Sky and the Showtime.

 

 

The first night started with a lively Dj set by Swizz Beatz himself!  Later Asap Rocky performed and the night ended with a surprise performance by Doug E. Fresh.

Night two kicked off with a lively DJ set DJ Runna, who warmed up the crowd before Swizz Beatz himself took to the stage.  Swizz welcome guests and expressed his excitement for the evening ahead, before turning the mic over to Young Thug who performed a slew of his  hits.

Following Young Thug’s performance, Angie Martinez jumped on stage to greet the crowd and welcome the next performer, Fabolous.  As Fabolous launched into a dynamic performance of some new material, as well as some of his classics , guests in the audience were thrilled when Swizz jumped into the first row to join them and rap along to Fab’s tracks.

As Fabolous’ performance came to a close and guests began to disperse, Swizz announced he had one more surprise for them and welcomed DMX to the stage.

 

 

 

On Day 3 , DJ Moma started to turn up the volume on his set and guests began to trickle outside to brave the heat and find a spot near the stage.  DJ Moma then introduced Q-Tip, who spun a solo set before his pal Swizz Beatz joined him.

 

Following Q-Tip and Swizz’s performance, the two welcomed Pusha T to the stage, who performed hits like “Mercy,” and his part in Kanye West’s “Runaway,” as well as some his Clipse work, such as the crowd favorite, “Grindin.’”

 

As Pusha T’s performance came to a close, Swizz came back out on stage to keep the crowd’s energy up for the final performer – one of the pioneers of rap as lead rapper and main songwriter for Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five – Melle Mel.  The veteran rapper took to the stage enthusiastically, expressing his love and gratitude to the fans and supporters of hip hop through the years.

 

No Commission: Art Performs is the second in a series of untameable artist collaborations between BACARDÍ and The Dean Collection. The first edition of No Commission coincided with Art Basel Miami in 2015, and over $1 million in art were sold during the fair.

The No Commission experience is brought to life through a partnership between BACARDÍ, Swizz Beatz, and The Dean Collection in their continued support of cultural visionaries around the world.

Photos by: Angela Pham,David Prutting ,Leandro Justen, Sam Deitch, Zach Hilty / BFA